Labyrinth of Teenage Love
by Prince Edgar
Summary: Ben Wright is new at Greenfield High. He makes all the right friends and becomes the most popular kid in school, but there's a bit of a problem. Everyone is trying to convince him to get in a relationship. The whole school knows Emma adores him, but they also think him and Lena are the perfect match. But Ben has his heart set on someone else entirely. (Ethan/Ben. Also on AO3!)
1. First Day

_Based on my own play through of Gameloft's High School Hook Ups(great game, you should play it if you haven't! Unless, ya know, you don't have a phone...) as Ben. The reason I felt a need to write this was due to Ethan's list of Loves having 'cute boys' and then not having an option to get closer to or choose him. Hopefully I'm not alone in wanting that to be a thing(then again, you probably wouldn't be reading this if you didn't like the idea, soooo...)!_

_I don't own, work for, or represent Gameloft or HSHU(otherwise I wouldn't have to write this - it'd be an option!) and this work will stray from canon(only slightly, except for pursuing Ethan rather than Lena). The straying from canon outside pursued romance is only to keep the time between events and the time skips from being boring and hopefully fits the involved characters well._

* * *

It was my first day at my new school, Greenfield High. I was pretty excited in the car ride, but now that I'm standing in the archway, I can feel my stomach flip. "This school is huge..."

"The principal said he'd be at the entrance to give you a tour," my dad calls, pulling me from my trance. "Don't make him wait!" I put on a grin, despite my sudden nervousness.

"Okay! Thanks, dad. I'll see you later!" I waved, letting my grin fade to a nervous half-smile when he drove off. It was just a new high school, I could handle this. It wasn't like I was a freshman. I was from a different country, though, even if it was just above the US.

I took a deep breath, reassuring myself that everything would be fine and that I have nothing to worry about. Then I headed to the entrance, to go meet the principal and get a tour. Last thing he needed was being lost for the first week or so when he just transferred, even if it was to be expected.

Nobody paid me any mind on my way through the courtyard, which was probably for the best. I'd rather lay low until I learned a few things. I turned my attention to the intimidating looking man standing by the door way to what looked like the main building. That must be the principal.

"You must be Ben Wright," the man said as I walked up, confirming my assumption, "the Canadian transfer student, right? I'm Principal Gottlieb. Welcome to Greenfield High School. Let me introduce you to your tour guide, Sheena."

I looked over to the approaching girl, eyes widening slightly. She looked terrifying, and judging by her expression, it was fully intentional. I swallowed then pushed myself to smile, offering my hand to shake, though I had a feeling she wouldn't reciprocate. "Nice to meet you. I'm -"

I pull my hand back suddenly when she growls at me, and suddenly those nerves from earlier are back. "Don't worry about her. She knows the campus well. She repeated the last grade three times!" Gottlieb chuckled, patting me on the shoulder. It did nothing to calm my nerves. "When you two are finished, come to my office. I like to have a brief meeting with every new student."

Sheena did nothing to hide her glare at the principal as he walked away. Though... that might just be how she looks. I can feel myself pale when her gaze suddenly turns to me. "Okay, let's make something clear," she all but hisses, stepping closer, "I'm not your friend, and I'm not gonna be your friend. Showing newbies around is just my punishment for burning my desk last year." That last part pulls a smirk to her face, and my whole brain is telling me I should avoid getting that look intended for me.

"Oh, are you a pyromaniac?" I questioned, trying to ease myself and maybe make her a bit less intimidating. Her eyes narrow.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just ask me that." Her tone makes me want to shiver, but my nerves are doing a good job at keeping me completely still. "I'm too busy to show people around, so here's a map. Good luck." She shoves a folded up paper at me, and her demeanor tells me she doesn't really wish me luck.

I clutch the paper nervously as I take a moment to focus on calming myself, then unfold the paper. Looking it over carefully, I frowned, struggling to deciper the violent chicken scratch that I assume is Sheena's writing. "How am I supposed to read this...?"

Thankfully, it was in pencil. I sighed, erasing the writing so I could at least write the places down myself. At least it didn't take long to go to each building and write down which building was which. Now all I had to worry about in that sense was classrooms, which wouldn't take long to figure out once I got my schedule. Speaking of, it was time to head to to Gottlieb's office since my 'tour' was finished.

As soon as I walked into the main building, I spotted Gottlieb scolding one of the students.

"Maddox, enough is enough! This is your last warning!" He sounded serious. I hope the majority of the school isn't troublemakers...

"But the course just started!" The girl retorts, and I can't help but think she deals with his scolding often. "And that fire extinguisher was half empty, anyway..." Yeah, her mischievous look definitely says she deals with it often. Sounds like it's for good reason, though.

"I son't want to see you around here anymore! Get out of my face!" He stomped into his office fuming, and the girl cheered right up before running off. I took a deep breath.

Now I had to be extra careful talking to him after he got that mad... Awesome. I let the deep breath out as a sigh, walking a bit slowly to Gottlieb's office. My heart began to speed up again as I walked in.

"Have a seat, Ben. Let's chat." It sounded like he calmed down quickly, which helped calm me down as I settled in the chair across from his desk. I still needed to be careful. If I didn't make a good impression, he'd probably be keeping an eye on me, and I don't think my nerves could handle that currently. "I've been reviewing your transcripts, and I'm very impressed." I smiled, a bit relieved already. "But, you're in a big city now, with lots of distractions. Can you maintain your grade point average?"

"I'm pretty smart. I've never had any trouble getting good grades." I realized he did have a point about distractions. City life already proved to be drastically different from when he lived in a small town back in Canada. I hope I don't struggle with it...

"You know, your mother studied here also and she was a brilliant student." He smiles a bit, thinking back to his own high school days. My smile falters slightly. "Did she ever tell you that we were classmates?"

She didn't really get much of a chance to clue me in on anything about this school. We had only recently moved down here for dad's work. School wasn't even in session at the time, but we were preparing my transfer anyways. Mom did tell some stories, however, fondly remembering her high school days whenever she remembered them, usually as we passed various places that sparked old memories. We were walking when...

I shake the memory away, forcing a smile. "Of course! She never shut up about this place. That's why I'm so excited to be here." Well, at first at least.

"Those were the good ol' days, when kids were hard working!" I try not to chuckle at him showing his age. He seemed a lot older than my mom. Did they really go to school together? I notice his expression change, and I realize my own had dropped again.

"...Sorry, I get sad when I talk about her." I look into my lap, rubbing my wrist. "I just... she's missed. Nobody expected that pizzeria sign to fall." My voice drops near the end, and I try to keep my eyes from watering.

"She was a model student," Gottlieb offers forlornly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought her up." I smile, albeit sadly.

"It's okay." I breathe deeply, looking back up. "She wouldn't want us to be sad over her."

"That's very mature thinking for someone your age." He smiles warmly. "Do you know what you want to do after high school?"

I took a moment to think about that. I had always imagined myself just staying in Canada, still helping my dads parents on their farm. It would be a simple life, but something he was used to and enjoyed. But after I came to the city with my parents and saw so many things, my mind strayed some from that. Especially after I took to accompanying my dad on business trips when I could. Most would have found them boring, being a teenager around large groups of business men and women all discussing things like financing and promotions and the like, but I enjoyed them. I got to spend time with my dad, and I always thought all the different businesses and the things they showed to each other were fascinating. Maybe I'd follow in dad's footsteps with that.

I snapped out of it, realizing I hadn't answered. I might as well be honest. "I have so many different interests, I can't really make up my mind. Is that an early sign of multiple personalities?" I joked, calming further when it got a chuckle.

"Hah, you're just full of energy. It's great to see!" He stood from his desk. "Well, you'll have to make some important decisions this year, but I'm sure everything will work out. I can tell you're smart, honest, and hard-working. All important traits in our students!" I smiled widely, relief filling me. Gottlieb was intimidating, but he didn't seem so bad. "Well... New city, new school. How do you want to start this new stage of your life?"

"I think I'll head to the library. I need to get my books in order." My answer seems to please him.

"Good, focusing on work from the beginning is the best way to succeed. Avoid the distractions!" He claps me on the shoulder, shaking me slightly. "Here's your schedule. The librarian will help you get the books for each class." I thanked him before leaving, headed straight to the library.

So far, my timing was proving to be amazing. So amazing, in fact, that some guy scarier looking than Sheena seems to come right for me with a frightening smile. "Hey you! Insignificant bookworm, get out of my way." He snarls, shoving me aside. I grimace, nearly knocking the small table over behind me. The kid who was using the table glares, steadying it and muttering angrily, and it sounds like the guy I just encountered is Sid. I should do my best to avoid that guy.

I sigh, then realized I've been sighing a lot today. Maybe it was just hard because it was my first day... I'm sure not everyone is out to get each other.

Then again, I've been wrong before.

"Hi, can I sit here?" I smile at some boys, reaching for an empty chair. The one wearing shades swats me away.

"Of course not! We're gossiping," he sneers, "Go somewhere else!" I frown, leaning away.

"Where are you from? You're too nerdy, even for a library." I scold myself for jumping slightly at the overly deep voice for a guy in high school - then again, the guy's everything looked like he should be long out of school.

I swallowed, walking away as they laughed. "People are so nice here..." I muttered to myself, pinching the bridge of my nose as I looked for a seat far away from them.

A girl motions at me, and after making sure she meant to direct it at me, I walk a bit closer and she leans some so she can talk quieter. "Hey, no offense, but what are you thinking trying to talk to the Alphas?" Seriously? The Alphas? This year was gonna be great... "The Alphas are the most popular guys in school. And you... well, let's just say you could improve your style a little." Her scrutinizing gaze tells me that by 'a little' she means 'change everything about you and then we'll talk'.

"Hey, Kaitlin. Let's go." I turned to look towards the voice, a dark-skinned girl walking towards us and giving me an almost disgusted once-over. "Didn't know you talked to the outcasts..."

My entire body slumped at that. I felt a bit better when the girl gave me a small pat with the back of her hand, wishing me luck before leaving. I smiled weakly as she walked away, then all but collapsed into the lone chair she was previously occupying.

"This school is pure evil... Will I even manage to blend in?"


	2. Makeover

_I made a small change to one event... It made a bit more sense to me to do it the way I wrote(and fits better with the title art). Don't worry, it's minor!_

* * *

It was a few days later when my dad noticed that I seemed unhappy.

"Hey, you don't look too happy. Is everything okay at the new school?" He turned to look at me, preparing to turn the car off if I chose to talk.

"Don't worry, dad." I tried to force myself to smile, but gave up half way. "It's... just hard to make friends at the beginning." I hoped it was only at the beginning, at least...

"You're a nice guy. I'm sure you'll be accepted here." He offered, smiling warmly and gently patting me on the back. I smiled weakly at him before getting out of the car, giving a small wave as he pulled off.

"Hey, you." That voice made me jump, turning my head suddenly. "I couldn't help but hear what you told your dad." Sheena. Oh no, she wasn't gonna give me hell about this was she? That was the last thing I needed... "I bet you can make some friends here. Not everyone bites."

I blinked in surprise. Those weren't the words I was expecting. "...Thanks. You're kinda nicer than I thought." I smiled, prepared for the day with such words coming from the last person I expected.

"No, don't misunderstand me. I don't wanna be your friend." Oh. Her words made my smile drop, but she herself was smirking at it. "I'm just saying you could meet up with Ethan and Chloe, a.k.a. the super geeks." ...Judging by how everyone here seemed to think of me, I'd probably fit in perfectly with them. I turn my head in the direction she points to, "They usually hang out under the dead tree next to the cafeteria."

I looked back to see her already walking away. I smiled to myself. She ended up being a better guide than anticipated. A little more eager for the day, I readjusted my bag and headed towards the tree she pointed out. Maybe I could make it through the year after all.

Then again, maybe not.

When I got there, it looked like they weren't there. Did Sheena just tell me that to get my hopes up? I guess it wouldn't be unexpected, especially being a new kid. I fell against the tree, rubbing my face under my glasses.

I jumped for the second time when I hear the sound of feet landing, turning to see a tall lanky guy and a goth chick. "You scared me..." I looked them over quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. "So... are you the losers?" I winced, regretting the choice of words. Good job, Ben, I'm sure they'll love you.

"Hey Chloe, he looks scared." The taller boy chuckles, smiling slightly. She follows suit, stepping closer to look up at me slightly.

"Are you scared? Maybe you should see my Voodoo doll collection." She laughs again when my eyes widen. "I keed, I keed. You're the new guy!" She smiled, and it actually accomplished putting me at ease. "So, what are you doing here?"

I needed to get them to like. From the looks of it, they might end up being my only chance at not being alone for the school year. My mind quickly gave me a good answer based on what I assumed the two of them liked. "Just wandering. This a cool dead tree. It's almost, ah, half alive... but not." After saying it out loud, it dawned on me that that actually was kind of a cool concept. It definitely looked dead, but it stood strong.

"Yeah! You got that vibe too?" Chloe grins, and I'm sure I've put myself in good with them already. "We like hanging around it."

"We all need friends." I turn to look at Ethan, whose smiling warmly and knowingly. It's comforting. "If you want to fit in, you'll need to have a clear idea of who you want to be."

I thought back to when I was talking to the principal. It was true that I had so many possible ideas, but after being in the city for just a short while... I suddenly wanted to just go back to living simple in Canada. "I don't want to draw any unwanted attention to myself... I think I'll just keep a low profile..."

"Boooring!" Chloe says abruptly, making me jump just slightly. I'm getting a little better at keeping myself still. "Admit that you want to be like everyone else." ...Well, that was the best idea, yeah. "You're just like those annoying Alphas, and I hate them!"

I can definitely see why she'd feel that way. They didn't exactly seem like they were the pinnacle of joyous fun times. But... getting in good with them would more than likely land me in a safe spot from anyone with foul intentions. "...It's... probably silly to ask, but do you think they'd ever want to be friends with me?"

Chloe seemed to put her whole body into her eye roll."Oh, gimme a break! They're arrogant and pretentious! Why does everybody want to be like them?!" Ethan chuckles at her, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling at me.

"Okay, we may not be like you, but we're friendly and it looks like you need help." He looked back towards Chloe. "What can we do for him, Chloe?"

"Ugh. If he wants to be one of those popular clones, he needs to change his style." She gestures to all of me, then gives me a smile. "We'll improve your appearance. You up for it?"

"What's wrong with my..." I frown, my sentence trailing off as I look down at myself. My inability to realize I didn't exactly look like the coolest kid on the block was the whole reason nobody was giving me the time of day. "...Okay, please help me."

Chloe chuckles while Ethan gives a full on laugh. "You're a funny dude. You have lots of potential." I grin at that, reddening a bit at the compliment. "We'll help you become a superstar. You'll have to collect a few things first, and we'll do the rest."

"Look at your feet... so wrong." My grin drops slightly, becoming more of a sheepish smile. "Bring me a cool pair of shoes."

"...and you need new clothes. Look for something fancy." My shoulders slump slightly as I tug at my shirt collar and mumble under my breath. How do you get fancier than a dress shirt...? "Ask around and I'm sure you'll hear about something useful."

I nod, frowning down at my clothes again. I was worse at this than I though, I guess... I mumble a thank you to them before leaving to find a new outfit. I have no idea how I was supposed to find those things at school...

At least one of the items proved easy to find as I walked through campus, actually. "The basketball guys always leave their shoes in the gym," I perked slightly, turning my head slightly to hear better as two girls walked past, "Pat's already lost two pairs!" They giggled, their voices lost as they walked out of distance and I headed to the gym.

I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Even if I did find shoes... They weren't mine. I've never stolen before... Was it worth the risk?

I swallowed hard, going into the locker room as quietly as possible. And there they were: a pair of shoes I could easily imagine on any of the popular kids. Perfect. Now I just needed to gather the nerve to leave with them.

I didn't notice the door open, too nervous about the pair of shoes that were now in my hands as I looked them over. They'd be a little big, but they'd definitely fit. "I like your new shoes!"

The comment made me jump, nearly dropping the pair. Panic filled me as I tried to think of an excuse - but then I realized he immediately just thought they were mine. All I had to do was be cool about it. "Thanks, I just got them last week!"

The boy chuckles. "For a moment, it looked like you taking something." I grin nervously, not having to say anything else to get him to leave. As soon as he does, my body slumps.

"This is basically stealing... ugh..." I took a deep breath, trying to feel better about it. "But... whatever, right? If the guy loses his shoes all the time anyway..." I mull it over for a moment longer before nodding to myself that it'd be fine, there were plenty of places to get shoes like this. I quickly stash them into my bag and look for some clothes.

All the lockers in here were locked, and I can't think of somewhere that would just have clothes laying around. Though, the theater department might have a costume that could pass for casual clothes. They'd definitely be on the fancier side. That would be in the auditorium.

As I'm pulling my map out to make sure where the auditorium is, I hear running footsteps. Getting closer. I look up just moments before someone collides with me, nearly knocking me over. "Agh..!"

"Watch out, four eyes!" The girl all but snarls, and I realize it's the girl I saw the principal scolding on the first day. Great... and she doesn't have a lot of room to talk. She has glasses too!

"Sorry..." I mutter, wanting to just get some clothes and get back to Ethan and Chloe. The girl's face softens slightly, and she seems to calm down some.

"It's okay. Sorry I called you four eyes." At least she said sorry... I smiled slightly. "You're in the wrong building, by the way. The library's one building over." And my expression immediately fell again.

"I'm not looking for the library." My brow furrows slightly, and I subconsciousy adjust my glasses. Way to look less nerdy, Ben.

"Oh. Uh... sorry. You just look kinda bookish." Bookish? ...Was that a nice way of saying extremely nerdy? At least she put it nicely...

"...I'm Ben. I'm new here." I smiled, though her face still seemed bitter.

"I can tell." I winced. "I'm Lena. Good luck surviving here, Greenfield High is a crazy place."

"I noticed." I tried not to make it seem like I meant her exactly, but... well, she was a part of me getting that impression. She was just about to walk away when she looks to me again.

"Oh, by the way... every new student has to swim a few laps in the pool on the fifth floor. It's tradition." Her expression seemed almost forceful, though it didn't intimidate me like Sheena or Sid's. She couldn't be serious... did any of these buildings even have a fifth floor?

"We had something like that at my old school too." I lied, keeping my smile up.

"Oh, so then you must know that I'm only kidding." She called me out, obviously amused. I'm relieved, at least. I never was the best swimmer. "I had you for a second though, right?"

I actually chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of my neck. "...Yeah, yeah you did." She smiles a bit wider.

"You're a little on the geeky side, I guess, but you seem kinda cool." I immediately perked at that. "I gotta run to class. See ya around!" I waved slightly as she ran off.

Geeky but cool. That was already a huge step up. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

Right, I need to look for an outfit. I put my map away properly and make my way to the auditorium. Theater wasn't the only group that used this place, so it took a few minutes to find theater, and when I finally found the door to theater supplies, the door was locked.

"Great. Fantastic." I bang my head on the door weakly, letting out a sigh. It was always something, it seemed. I couldn't think of any other place that would have clothes other than lost and found, and I couldn't just go to the principal's office and say 'Hey, mind if I look around a little?' Plus, he was new. How much could he have lost?

"Hey, I saw you lookig around!" A girl taps my shoulder, smiling brightly. "Do you want to join the theater group?"

I mulled the thought over for a moment. That sounded like it could be fun, and it'd probably be easy to make friend in that. "...Sure, I'll sign up when I get the chance." I smiled, stepping away from the door.

"Cool! I'll see you around." She waved, leaving towards some chatting kids.

My shoulders slumped again despite the prospect. I only managed to get some shoes... Maybe I could ask them to help me pick some clothes out at the mall. I had enough money to spare on some outfits.

Maybe then I could put the shoes back... I still felt bad about taking them. For now, though, I was gonna meet back up with Chloe and Ethan.

I walked back to the dead tree to Chloe reading a book and Ethan playing something on his phone. I stood there awkardly for a moment, not wanting to disturb them, but Chloe quickly noticed me and nudged Ethan. He paused the game and slid his phone back into his pocket as Chloe put her book away.

"Let's see what you've got, new kid." She stepped forward, and I pulled my backpack down and pulled the shoes out.

"I couldn't find any clothes, I'm sorry. I was thinking maybe you guys could come with me to the mall after school or something - help me choose some clothes. If - if that's alright." I said, quickly, earning smiles and a chuckle.

"Slow down and breathe, man." Ethan suggested, amused. "We could do that, yeah. We usually have Fridays off." I wondered for a moment if they had a part time job at the same place. Maybe I should look into that... another way to connect with other kids.

"For now, though... We could probably work with this." Chloe tapped her chin. "Come behind the tree and we'll fix you up." She motioned for me to follow, and I felt a bit nervous again, going behind a giant tree so somebody could adjust my entire appearance.

"The glasses should probably go. Sorry bud." Ethan apolgizes, carefully plucking my glasses off my face. I blink rapidly for a moment, squinting slightly.

"Those - those are prescription..." I mutter, getting even more nervous. I had some contacts at home for moments like these, but they were the kind that don't last that long. They were only meant to be a temporary fix if I broke my glasses, until I could get new ones. I'd have to talk to my dad about ordering long-term ones if I was gonna be ditching the glasses.

Chloe covered the pout that had formed on my face, pulling my sweater up and over my head. "You should probably remove all the sweaters from your wardrobe. Unless they're loose collars that show off your collarbone, they're to be completely avoided."

I reddened slightly, subconsciously rubbing my hand over the small bit of skin my shirt revealed. "And try and avoid the whole poindexter feel. If you had a pocket protector, I don't think anyone could save you." Ethan laughed, untucking my shirt as I gaped slightly. "If you look confident in the way you look, everyone will think you look great." I snap my mouth shut, focusing on memorizing their advice, making a strangled noise when Chloe undoes a few buttons on my shirt.

"What -"

"Hot!" She commented, grinning and effectively shutting me up. "Now, you're ready to rock." I swallowed, nervously rubbing at my now revealed upper chest as I slipped into the shoes I took.

"You look amazing!" Ethan beamed as well, giving me two thumbs up. I smile nervously back at them, tying the shoes and standing up straight.

"Thanks for help me, you guys. You think they'll like me?" I questioned, resisting the urge to button my shirt back up all the way.

"We should hang out together. We're tons of cool." Chloe suggested, a bit bitter. I made a mental note that I definitely wouldn't just ditch these guys, especially after they were so kind.

"I'll see you guys around, okay? I don't want to miss my class." I pulled them both in for a quick hug, by surprise it seemed, but they hugged me back. I smiled widely at them and waved before running off to my class.

I ended up late, accidentally going past my class and wondering where the class was again. Luckily the teacher was easy on me, and I noticed Ethan sitting near the back. I gave him a smile, getting one in return with a small wave, then slid into the only empty desk.

The math test was no problem, and I even finished with over half the time left. I doodled absently on the corners until pencils down, and sat through the rest of the lesson until the bell rang.

As I was getting up and putting my things into my bag, one of the boys from the library came up to me, and I noticed Ethan stayed behind to see how things went. It was a bit comforting to have him in the room, easing my nerves.

"Hey dude, you have a cool look." The taller guy grinned at me. He looked like he might be an important part of the school sports team. "You seem familiar... Have I seen you before?"

"No, I don't think so." I lied, smiling slightly.

"Huh. You remind me of an actor." He grinned, taking me by surprise. An actor, huh? "Anway, do you know the Alpha guys? We're the most popular kids in school, and you'd fit in well with us." My heart pounded. This was exactly what I was aiming for, but I didn't expect it to actually happen. "Come find us in the library. Obviously, we won't be studying." He grinned widely, and I chuckled nervously, remembering how upset my dad can get with grades. "Roman has a crush on the new librarian."

"Uh, sure! I'll see you around." I smiled back, getting a strong pat on the back. I had a feeling I'd still feel that later...

Ethan walked up as Ty left the room. "Hey, Ben. Why don't you come help us prepare for the Halloween event?" I had just implied I would meet up with those Alpha guys, but I'm sure they wouldn't care about me not showing up right away. The important part was that they thought I was cool enough to give the time of day, which meant others wouldn't see me as a huge geek anymore.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go." He beamed, and we walked together to the auditorium. When we got close, Ethan said he'd run ahead so he could tell them I was coming to check it out. I walked the rest of the way, wondering what it was they had prepared as a Halloween special.

That day I found out Ethan loved terrible, terrible jokes. I tried not to grimace as Horror and Terror told pun joke after pun joke while Chloe seemed amused at how awful it was, but Ethan was red in the face trying not to laugh too loudly at the awful jokes. I couldn't help but smile at that alone.

"That was... funny. You guys did a great job!" I lied through my teeth, and I could hear Chloe snickering at the obvious lie. Ethan seemed to believe it, though - then again, he was wiping tears from his eyes. It was endearing. "I have something else I need to do now, though. I'll see you guys later." I gave them a smile before leaving the auditorium.

Ty came up to me as I was leaving. It looked like he'd been looking for me. "Hey, Ben. What took you so long? We were waiting in the library, but you never came." They actually waited up for me? I didn't expect that.

"Sorry... I was kinda busy." I apologized, offering a sheepish smile.

"Well the others are at the front gates. Let's go!" He motioned for me to follow after him as he ran off towards the front of the school, and after a moment of feeling a bit bad for leaving them hanging, I followed suit. I caught a glimpse of Ethan and Chloe as we headed off. They looked disappointed... I hope they're not mad at me for this.


	3. Boo!

_After this chapter, I'm putting in a little Christmas filler since the game goes straight to Valentine's day. The relationship is gonna start showing itself soon!_

* * *

It was Halloween now. Dad had been looking at me strangely the entire car ride. When we got there, he turned towards me as I got up. "Ben... you've been awfully experimental with your clothes lately."

I stare for a moment before facepalming. "Dad... It's Halloween today." He looks surprised, turning forward again in slight embarrassment at the blunder.

"Oops..." He clears his throat, starting the car again. "Well, have a good day, Ben." I smiled, waving him and turning to head into the campus. Ethan asked to meet me in the auditorium, and how could I say no? Maybe I'd find him dying from laughter again.

Everybody had something Halloween-y on, at least half of them in full blown costumes. When I finally got to the auditorium, I found a roomful of people in sheets with faces drawn on or cut out. "Oh my gosh. How am I supposed to know which one is Ethan?"

Actually, not as hard as I anticipated. While everyone in the room had the same costume, Ethan's height and lankiness was easily distinguishable. Also, he was the only one right by the front of the stage.

"Trick or treat!" He exclaimed, pulling the sheet off suddenly when I came up. "I knew you'd prefer to stick with us rather than the Alphas." I grinned at him, pulling my mask up. The thing got a little stuffy if I left it on too long. "Ya know, I heard there's a secret passage in the auditorium." He added excitedly.

"Oh yeah?" He nods, then seems to notice something. As I turn to see Kaitlin walking by, Ethan pats my arm with a mischievious look in his eye.

"Hey, I have a super fun idea." He bounces slightly in excitement. "Kaitlin gets scared super easily. Come with me." I pull my mask back down, following after the excited boy to the auditorium hallways. "When I give the cue, pretend to be a spirit."

"That's so mean!" I try to feign shock, but I still grinned at the prank. He keeps nudging me though, trying to get me to verbally agree until I roll my eyes under the mask. "Fine, fine. Let's do this." He grinned wider as I shooed him to go start his plan. He walked around the center wall, and I went the other way to peek around the corner, taking my mask off completely to be less obvious.

"Hey! What's up, Ethan?" Kaitlin asked, looking to Ethan as he walked up. He had put on a scared and worried look, and for a split second I thought it was genuine.

"I don't know... I'm a little worried." I wondered why he never tried out for school plays. He was a pretty good actor, and he helped out with theater anyway. Then he darts his eyes around, leaning towards Kaitlin and getting quieter. "I think I hear voices... do you think it's the spirit of Halloween..?"

"Hey, don't scare me!" Kaitlin scolded, but it was obvious she already seemed frightened at the prospect. Was that my cue? Or-

"Don't you hear it?!" Ethan exclaimed suddenly, and I took that one as my cue. Here we go... be scary, Ben.

"Kaitlin..." I groaned, trying not to giggle. "I'm keeping an eye on you!" She looked terrified, looking around for the source. I made sure to keep myself hidden.

"Oh my gosh! There's a ghost!" She gasped, turning suddenly to Ethan. I needed to try harder to give her a scare. I'll try a deeper voice.

"You can't hide your secrets from me..." She gasped again, backing up against the wall.

"Which secrets?! I - I didn't cheat during yesterday's exam!" ...Wait, wasn't she sitting next to me during that exam? I focused on the prank again, amused at her reactions.

"I'll be your worst nightmare...!" She looked shaken now, looking around frantically.

"Somebody help me!" Ethan was trying not to laugh, and luckily Kaitlin was too busy being scared to notice it.

"Spirit! I demand you go away!" He recomposed, putting his arms up as he gave the demand.

"This is so scary, Ethan! Could you hear it?!" She asked quickly, practically jumping off the wall towards him in fear.

"Of course. Sounds like somebody in the underworld is angry with you..." He answered matter-of-factly. She gasped, again, looking around in hopes of seeing it.

"I - I need some fresh air... I promise I'll be better to you and everyone..." She nodded to herself, than hurried out of the auditorium. I pulled my mask back on quickly before she got past me, walking around to Ethan after she was gone just in time to see him burst into laughter.

"That was so much fun! Thanks, Ben." He grinned.

"No problem, man. That went better than expected!" He nods, then heads back to the main room.

I guess now I should go see the Alphas. I went to leave the auditorium, stopping after opening the doors and seeing outside. Oh, crap. The Alphas were right outside of the auditorium, talking. They hadn't noticed me, so I quickly closed the doors went back inside.

They said I needed to stop hanging out with the geeks, and if they know I've been deliberately disobeying I'd be ostracized for sure. They have too much influence on the whole school. I needed to find another way out.

I suddenly remembered Ethan mentioning a secret passage in the auditorium, and there was only one room in here I wasn't acquainted with. It must be the room that has it. I head inside the empty room, eyeing the single desk. It seemed suspicious enough for a hidden entrance.I leaned down to look closer and found out I was right, under the desk there was a part of the floor you could remove. I pushed the desk aside and opened it, climbing down and closing it after me.

It exited all the way behind the gym, allowing to inconspicuously head back towards the auditorium to see the Alphas.

"Hey! We've been looking for you all day! There's so much to gossip about!" Roman berated me as I walked up, then chuckled. "Have you seen the geeks with those childish costumes?"

I frowned slightly. "They're not childish! They're just having fun."

Carter waved his hand at me. "Ben, don't try to defend them. We're on a different level, you know."

Ty nudged me with his elbow, grinning. "Emma invited us to the spooky house at the hill."

"Let's go!" Roman commanded, and I took a moment before following after them. They really didn't like my other friends, did they? I frowned, rubbing my wrist nervously before putting a smile on and heading after them. All I had to do was not tell them I hung out with the geeks still. I could manage that.


	4. Bah, Humbug

Christmas break started tomorrow. It was Friday and the third showing of the school's rendition of The Christmas Carol, courtesy of the theater department.

When I joined theater earlier in the year, I never expected I'd get a lead role in a play. I was told I needed to try out for at least one play or my grade would be docked. I didn't have to get into the play, but there needed to be effort. So I did. And got the main role.

I wasn't even trying for that part. But I guess that just happens when you're suddenly turned most popular. At least, I assume that was why I got the part. I don't think I'm coordinated enough to land a part on skill, let alone the main role.

It left me so nervous. Chloe kept telling me I'd be fine - it wasn't like it was the first time I'd be doing the play. I had done it twice already over the last week and a half, and plenty of rehearsals. But tonight's had more people than the last two nights. I heard that apparently it was mostly girls who just wanted to see me with spotlights... that alone made me nervous. Some of these people were coming just to see me on stage. How could I not be nervous?

On top of that, the Alphas would be there. That'd be fine if it weren't for Ethan and Chloe, who helped out theater all the time. If I had to, I'd definitely choose them, but... I couldn't imagine everyone not liking me anymore. I wasn't sure if I'd solidified my popularity enough to keep influence if the Alphas dubbed me one of the losers.

"Sorry I'm late. Last customer at work was taking forever." I barely register the sentence staring nervously into the mirror, already in costume. "...Clo, is he okay?"

"He's nervous." She sounded almost amused and I pursed my lips. "Bigger crowd today."

"Aw, come on, Ben," he laughed, clapping his hands on my shoulders and making me tense up, "you can do this! You've done it twice before. Plus, you rocked the rehearsals."

I grumble, taking a deep breath. "I didn't even want the lead." I slumped suddenly, falling into a nearby chair. "I just needed the credit. Why'd they make me the lead?"

They both offered sympathetic smiles. "You're better than you think." Chloe reassured me, "Your acting's great! The crowd loves you."

I let out a whine, burying my face in my hands. "I know. Apparently half that crowd came just to see me!"

"Eh, more than half." Ethan corrects, obviously amused. I groan at him. "It's not so bad. And hey, the play's over an hour away. What can we do to help?"

I smile slightly at the question. I'm glad these guys were my first friends. If it weren't for them, I'd still be a nobody that everyone sneered at. And... he looks... oddly kissable.

"Ben? Did you hear me?" Ethan snaps me out of it, looking concerned. Shoot, I was staring at him... I keep my hand over my face and can feel it reddening. "I'm gonna get him some water, Clo."

I stare straight forward, paying no mind to Chloe's worried gaze. I had just wanted to kiss Ethan. I still want to kiss Ethan. Oh no.

A whole different kind of panic is filling me now. The play is a suddenly a lot less nerve-wracking. How was I supposed to remember my lines through this?

"Ben...?" Chloe leans towards me, placing a hand on my arm. I look to her, still wide-eyed. "Is something wrong? You look... scared all of a sudden."

"Uh..." I look down, glancing towards the door Ethan had went through to get water. "I... fine."

"...You fine?" Chloe smirked at me, making me scrunch my face up in embarrassment. "Wait, is your crush coming to this play or something? That'd explain how nervous you are about this." Her smirk changed to a grin, and I gave a nervous laugh. "So who is it?"

I frowned suddenly, glancing sideways. "Um..." Ethan. I have a crush on Ethan, Chloe. Please help me.

My mind is racing now. I was always terrible at hiding if I liked someone. How was I supposed to keep this from them? I still hadn't answered her, turning my head to furrow my brows and chew on my thumb's cuticle.

Why did this get me so nervous? Everything else I handled easily since I got here. And this was probably just a crush. It'd pass like any other crush.

But... I've never even thought about a guy like that before. Why Ethan? Why my best friend? Those crushes never end well. Why couldn't it be some random guy on campus? Even Sid, for crying out loud? Ethan was cute and funny, but...

I felt myself go red again. I need to stop any of those thoughts. Crushes on friends are bad. But crushes on your male friends? That spelled disaster. If anybody found out I liked a guy, even for a while...

I suddenly wish this was Canada. It wouldn't be as big a deal. But America didn't seem to take as kindly to gays in most places. Ethan was the only guy I've ever had those kinds of thoughts about, but still...

Or maybe it was just how nervous the play had made me. That could make sense, right? I'm going crazy from the stress, that's all. I had nothing to worry about. Once the play was out of the way, the thoughts would go away.

I hoped.

"Water you guys doing?" Ethan poked his head in, grinning wide at his own joke and holding a water bottle out. Chloe rolled her eyes, smiling some at the awful joke as Ethan handed me the water bottle.

"Ben's nervous because somebody he has a huge crush on is in the crowd." My eyes snapped to Chloe. "He still hasn't told me who it is."

Suddenly, I really needed that water.

"Oh yeah?" Ethan grinned, coming closer. "Well spill it, Ben! What's their name?" I looked away, drinking from the water bottle so I didn't have to answer.

"Well, it's not Emma. He already turned her down." Because Sid wanted her... but yeah, I didn't like her like that.

"Oh, is it Lena?" Ethan suggested, making himself comfortable on the arm of the chair I was sitting on. He was warm... "You two seemed to hit it off."

"But she already went to the first one." Ethan tapped his chin, the two of them looking thoughtful. At least there was no way they'd ever guess him... Suddenly, Ethan snapped his fingers. "I've got it!"

I raised my eyebrow, curious. "Yeah?" Chloe asked, just as curious for his answer.

"It's me, obviously." He said, matter-of-factly. Oh god. No, there was no way I was that obvious. How could he guess that?

"You're so stupid." Chloe laughed, shoving at him. He was just joking. I was relieved, but... slightly disappointed. I don't know why. I just had to play it off like I saw it as a joke too.

"Well, I wouldn't blame you, Ben." Ethan shrugged, motioning at himself with his hand. "I mean, my charm is through the roof!"

I couldn't help but smile. "Did you roll for that?" Ethan looked at me suddenly, silent for a moment.

"...Maybe." After a few seconds, we had all burst into laughter. It lasted until my entire chest and face ached, when we had finally settled down. The laughing fit had done well to ease my nerves for both the play and what I was feeling.

An hour later, I had all my lines out as if I was never nervous in the first place. Whenever I was supposed to look to the crowd, though, my gaze always landed on Ethan. I told myself it was just the adrenaline and stress from earlier that kept the feelings with me.

After the play, I didn't really believe that. Every time I looked at him now, the feelings just got stronger. There was no way something this sudden would stick with me. All I had to do was ignore it and let it go away.

So when the Alphas came up to me, I ignored the disappointment on Chloe and Ethan's faces and left with them.


	5. Be My Valentine

A month had passed when I finally just admitted to myself I had fallen for Ethan. The feelings hadn't gone away over Christmas break, and when I got back to school all I had wanted to do was hug him and say sorry for ignoring him. Every time I waved at him to see if he'd be okay with me coming over, though, he just glared. I shouldn't have just ignored them so suddenly...

Chloe didn't seem so angry when I found her, though. Bitter about it, but after some apologizing we were on good terms again. She couldn't do anything about Ethan being mad at me, though. She tried to talk him down, but ignoring him so long really messed things up. I felt awful...

It was Valentine's Day now. With my feelings still there, it was hard to not let the holiday get to me and do something extremely cheesy and no doubt regrettable.

"Front door service!" Dad beamed, pulling up to the school. "It's been a few months since we moved here, son. I'm glad to see you've adapted so well."

"Well, you know. I can't help that I'm so popular." I grinned, forcing my thoughts to the back of my mind again.

"Don't let the success go to your head, Ben." He warned as I got out. I smiled and waved him off.

"Yes, dad." I shook my head slightly, making my way towards the library to return a book,but getting stopped by the Alphas shortly after getting through the archway.

"What a total lack of maturity." Carter sneered. Oh, great...

"Lame!"

"Unbelievable!"

Whatever it was, the Alphas seemed downright disgusted by it. "Is your dad, like... still driving you to school?" Why was that such a big deal? Especially when I haven't had enough time to get my own license in the states yet.

"That? Oh, no," I shook my head, holding my hands up. Quick, a good lie... "that's just my driver!" Yes. Nailed it.

"Oh, that's cool." Carter commented, Ty and Roman looking a bit impressed.

"I'm so excited, today is Valentine's Day!" Ty changed the topic, obviously excited.

"Let's see who gets the most valentines by the end of the day." Carter offered, looking confident. I bet I could get more than him...

"Sounds fun. But hey, I gotta go return a book." I smiled, waving and walking towards the library again.

"Okay, dude. See you later."

Almost as soon as I walked into the library, a girl ran up to me. Yeah, I could definitely get more cards than Carter.

"Hey, Ben... you've probably never noticed me." She stopped in front of me, obviously nervous. Poor thing. I gave her a smile. "But I wanted to give you this card." She holds it out, in all it's lovey-dovey feeling glory.

"That's cute!" I take the card from her, smiling a bit wider. "That's sweet of you." She turns red, smiling back at me.

"Oh! Thank you!" Giggling, she ran off, probably to let her friends know. I slid the card into my bag, then headed towards the librarian's desk.

"Hi, I need to return this." I pulled the book out of my bag that was still hung lower and opened, sliding the book towards her. She took it, looking the cover of it over and looking at me oddly.

"Alright. Thank you." I turned to notice Ethan with a book in his own hands. I stared for a moment before mustering the nerve to go up to him.

"...Hey, Ethan." I waved my hand, getting his attention and offering a nervous smile. "It's been a while since we've talked." He narrowed his eyes.

"Of course! You're always hanging out with those shallow jerks." I winced. That wasn't the whole reason... but he had a point.

"Um..." I rubbed the back of my neck, tilting my head some and putting a smile back on. "Hope you get lots of cards today!"

He scrunched his face up at me, shutting his book angrily. "Could you be more cynical?!" I grimaced as he pushed past me, leaving the library. I frowned. I hated seeing him so mad, especially at me.

I left the library, disheartened, only to have an almost panicked-looking Sid bump into me.

Geez, what was with me and bumping into people all the time?

"Agh! What the... You little punk, you're gonna pay!" Not this again... I needed to keep him calm, or else I'd end up worse than shoved into some kid's table.

"Sorry! Are you okay?" He glared at me, but at least he didn't hit me right away. Doing good so far. Now would probably be a good time to back away...

"Where's my tarantula? It was right here!" Leave it to him to have a pet tarantula. "If anything happens to it, you're gonna be sorry." There's fierce intent in his look. He must really love it.

"Tarantula, huh? Those are cool!" I grinned, "Scary looking, but they're pretty smart. Gotta respect 'em for that."

He looks me over, looking a little less angry. I nailed that one. "Maybe you're not such a loser." Coming from him? Huge compliment. Or at least, the best thing he'd probably ever say to someone here. "Not like Eddie, at least."

Eddie... Eddie Jones. I heard about that kid. Hit Sid in the head with a french fry during a food fight. Sid pelted him with spaghettie till he cried. People still haven't stopped calling him Eddie Spaghettie. I swallowed nervously.

"Hey! Are you even looking for my tarantula?" He growled, snapping me out of it.

"Ah, you scared me!" I turned my gaze towards the bushes, pretending to see something. "Dang. I thought I saw it over there, but it's gone now."

"You saw it?" He actually smiled some. I'm not sure if it was terrifying or a nice change. "Okay, then one of us should spot it again soon." He moved towards the bushes I had pointed out, searching through them. I decided it was probably better for my health to help him out, looking at the other set of bushes. "I can't find him! What are you gonna do to make this up to me?"

Crap. What was I supposed to say to that? "I'm - I'm an Alpha, you shouldn't mess with me." He just laughs.

"Ooh, scary. What's your weapon, huh? A fancy sneaker?" I gulped. "You're a big loser, Ben. And you owe be big time for this!" He grabs the front of my shirt, and I stifle a noise that bubbles in my throat from fear. He grins suddenly, shoving me back. "I now pronounce you my servant for the rest of the year!"

Well... better than getting beat up, I guess. Or, I hoped.

"Okay, little guy. Since you're my servant, I have an assignment for you." He crosses his arms, looking proud of himself for whatever plan he had. Was he waiting for someone to force into doing this?

"Uh..." I frowned, straightening my shirt out. "Alright. What d'you want done?"

"Smart. Don't try and mess with me, kid." He uncrossed his arms, turning back to me. "You know it's Valentine's Day, right? I want to give a car to Emma." He smiled, more than before. "But I wouldn't dream of doing it myself..."

"You and Emma? That's the weirdest match I've ever heard of!" I almost laughed, silenced when he glares at me.

"Nobody asked for your opinion." He growls, effectively shutting me up on the matter. "Chloe is writing the card out for me. I'm not good with words and all that stupid stuff. Find Chloe, get the card and follow her instructions. When you're done, find me in front of the Auditorium." He shooed me angrily before leaving himself, and I headed over to the dead tree. Maybe Ethan would be there too...

Suddenly, an idea hits me. An anonymous Valentine's card was perfect! Nobody would know it was from me, and it might cheer Ethan up enough to forgive me. Plus, I could feel a little better about not telling anyone how I felt.

"Chloe?" I turned the corner outside the cafeteria, seeing her leaning against the tree with a card in hand. "Sid sent me. He said you wrote a card for him?" I smiled softly. I didn't have to put it in Emma's bag right away per se, so maybe I could talk with Chloe.

"Yep. Here I am, writing the card for that bully..." She gave an exasperated sigh, motioning to the card in question.

"Poor Chloe... Are you his servant too?" I frowned, stepping closer.

"I don't know. I'm just forced to do his homework all the time..." She gave another sigh. "Here's the card."

"Thanks." I took it, offering a smile but not leaving right away. "Hey... can we talk, maybe? It's been a while since we hung out."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "Yeah. Those Alphas probably don't like seeing you around us." I frowned.

"I almost regret joining them." I laughed, though it came out a bit sadder than I expected. "I mean... It's really cool being so popular, but Carter's kind of a jerk."

"Understatement of the century." We smiled at each other, and I slid the card into my hoodie pocket. "Ethan's still pretty mad, you know."

I frowned again. "Yeah... I tried to talk to him in the library earlier." I looked down, but then smiled again, looking back up. "But I might know a way to cheer him up."

"Oh yeah?" I nodded. "Hope it works. I miss us all hanging out."

"Me too." I sighed, rubbing my hands together. It didn't get cold here as bad as it did back home, but I didn't think to bring my gloves today. "Hey, could we all go to pizza after school tomorrow, maybe? My treat, if it helps." I offered, hopeful.

Chloe smiled. "Yeah. I'll get Ethan to suck it up and come."

"Thanks, Clo." I gave her a hug, smiling wide. "Now, I gotta sneak this into Emma's bag before Sid starts looking for me."

"Yeah, hurry up. Last thing we need is Mr. Popular going to the nurse's office." She joked, playfully shooing me towards the gym.

Right as I entered, another girl ran up to me, looking excited. "Hi, Ben! I've loved you since the first day I arrived!" She exclaimed, holding a card out. "Would you accept my Valentine's card?"

I smiled at her, taking it. "Why not? You're cute!" She turned red, cupping her cheeks and smiling wide.

"Oh, you made my day!" She squealed, running off again. Yeah, I had this little contest with the Alphas in the bag. Proud of myself, I headed into the main court, only to be greeted by bag after bag laying around.

Great... how am I supposed to know which one is Emma?

After over ten minutes and inconspicuously ogling bags and eavesdropping in hopes of getting some kind of hint, I found a bag with pom poms in it. It was the only one, and I can't think of any other cheerleader that would be here so early in the day. They practiced after school.

I looked around to make sure nobody saw me, then slipped the note into her bag. Having accomplished my task, I hurried to the auditorium to let Sid know. You know, I never would have taken him for such a shy type. I almost hoped Emma would return his feelings. In fact, maybe it'd make him less volatile.

"You did well, servant." He smirked as I came up. "You're off the hook... for now." I laughed nervously, but smiled.

"You act so tough, but you ended up being shy and sweet." I almost nudged him with my elbow, deciding against it. "You even like a conservative girl like Emma!" He glared at me, eyes widening when Emma ran up to us - staring at me when she focused on me. Uh oh...

"Hi there! We've never talked before..." Except on Halloween, you know, when you invited the Alphas to that spooky house... "Let me introduce myself. I'm Emma." Oh no. I knew that look. I glanced at Sid, whose eyes narrowed. "I saw you sneak an envelope in my bag. That's cute!" He stared at the two of us in almost disbelief now. "So, what's in the envelope?"

I went rigid and leaned back slightly when she leaned towards me. This was bad. Not only was I not into her, but Sid was literally right there. "Oh, uh, nothing. Just a big fat recipe for disaster."

"Haha... wait, what?" She was definitely flirting. Oh man... "Lemme take a look at it..." She reached into her bag, filling me with panic.

"Fine, go ahead! Spoil your stupid surprise!" I threw my hands up, playing the dramatic card.

She leaned back, pulling her hand back. "Okay, okay. I'll put it away for now. Happy?" She situated her bag back comfortably on her shoulder, smiling at me again. "I've seen you before. What's your name?"

She wouldn't go for me if I sounded like some book nerd poet. So, obviously, that was something to aim for. "Does it really matter? I'm nobody but a lost turtle in the sea." I did my best to sound melodramatic, earning a confused look from her. Perfect!

But then she smiled and leaned in again. "Yeah? Well, you look like somebody to me." Could she make this any more difficult?! "Do you like football?"

"Nope! Hate it! In fact, don't mention it again, will ya?" I said quickly, crossing my arms.

"That's too bad." She frowned. I felt kind of bad for blowing her off so bad, but... my health was a bit of a higher priority. But I did it, I rejected her completely.

"Do you know Sid?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "He's really cute, isn't he?"

Or maybe I didn't do as good as I thought, because now she smiled dangerously. "Why don't I give you my phone number?"

"Me? No no no!" I held my hands out, shaking my head. "Over my dead body!" Literally, with Sid standing right there.

"Calm down. It's just a number." She can't be serious... I was so rude! "Guess I'll see you around then. Later." I swallowed, grimacing as she ran her hand over my chest as she walked off.

"Hmpf. That was painful, but I'll let you live." I finally let out my breath, letting my shoulders relax. She was giving you way too much attention, but you did an okay job at ignoring her."

I laughed nervously. "What a misunderstanding! Fun, eh?"

He put on a fake smile, eyes narrowed. "You're dead and you know it."

"You won't hit me right? Ehe..." Well, a guy can hope. At least all he did was give me a hard shove, even if I did land in the trash can.

I grumbled as I struggled out of it, nearly knocking the trash can over. "Are you looking inside the garbage?" I heard Carter's disgusted tone, stepping away from the trash and turning towards them. "Unacceptable!" He sneered, turning his nose up and walking away. Looked like Ty was getting a bit tired of Carter's attitude, though, hanging his head with a sigh and looking at me before following the others.

"What a day..." And it barely started, too.


	6. I Heart You

Maybe today would go better than yesterday. I was taking my extra course today, with a choice of history or math. I had always preferred history myself, and... well, it was kind of a bonus that it was Ethan's favorite subject.

"Hurry up, Ben! You're late!" My dad called out, snapping me out of it. Shoot, right. I couldn't be late on the first day of a new course. Especially since Ethan came to me after school yesterday and said we'd be friend again, but that I'm on probation. My first test of friendship was apparently buying him deep dish pizza when we went out after school today, though he was obviously just joking around. I fully intended on getting him his favorite food, though.

While hurrying to history, Chloe and Ethan caught me in the hall. "Hey, Ben. What are you gonna take for your extra class?" Chloe asked as they came up. "Math or history?"

"Hey, you know me. History buff." I smiled, feeling myself get a little hot when Ethan slung an arm around my shoulder."See, Clo? Ben's on my side!"

I really missed hanging out with these guys. Hopefully I don't blow the friendship probation, if Ethan was serious about that part - which it seemed like he was at the time. But chatting up with him on the short walk to history made it feel like we had never stopped hanging out. It was comfortable.

I did better than expected on the history exam. I'm glad I took that time in the library, even if it was torture studying alone. Maybe Ethan would start studying with me again...

"It's so cool that we're in the same class!" Ethan smiled, bumping his arm against me as we stood to go. He was really good at getting over things when he did, it seemed. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Yeah. Maybe we can study together." I suggested, not wanting to add 'like we used to'. He nodded, leaving as I finished putting my things back in my back. After sliding my notebook in, I noticed the cards from yesterday. "Right! The Alphas..."

I threw my bag over my shoulder, heading to the cafeteria. They had went straight home yesterday, so they probably haven't recounted cards yet. As I left the main building, a girl tapped my shoulder. "Um, Ben?"

I turned to her, readjusting my bag. "Yeah?"

"I couldn't find you yesterday... but I wanted to give you this!" She smiled holding a card out.

"Aw, thanks! I thought I'd never get one." I smiled, taking it and slipping it into my bag with the other two.

"Seriously? Well, I'm glad you like it!" She beamed, walking off. Today was going great.

I entered the cafeteria, walking up to the Alphas and sliding into a seat at their table. "Hey, where were you? How was your Valentine's Day?" Ty asks, smiling.

"Rather not say..." I rubbed the back of my neck, thinking back to Sid and how Emma thought that note was from me now.

"Have a crush on anybody in school?" Carter questioned.

"Well... I met this girl named Emma, but she's not really my type." I chuckled, glancing sideways. Turned out my type was tall, thin, and geeky, but hey.

"Emma's pretty cool." Roman nodded, than grinned. "Hey, did you get any cards? I got one!"

"Me too!" Ty grinned, holding up his own card.

"I got two!" Carter laughed, flaunting his. Good, I did beat him.

"I got three." I smiled, pulling mine out. Carter glared.

"How did you get so many? Unacceptable!"

"Hey, I think you missed one. You've got four there." Ty pointed out. I blinked, looking the cards over. Oh, crap...

"Oh, someone must have slipped it in my bag when I wasn't looking!" I shrugged, playing it off. I can't believe I forgot to sneak my card into Ethan's locker...

"Nice." Roman grinned, while Carter crossed his arms.

"Well, see you outside Ben. We're going to the park after school." Ty stood, looking at Carter in concern.

"Oh, uh, I can't. Sorry." I slid the cards back into my bag, closing it and throwing it over my shoulder.

"What? Why not?" Roman furrowed his eyebrows, Carter still too angry about losing to even pay attention.

"Uh, my dad's making me go with him to this business thing on a colleague's yacht." I lied through my teeth. "I'd totally bring you guys, but my dad was pretty firm about just me going. Something about me needing to get used to the atmosphere, you know?"

"Oh, that blows," Ty frowned, "maybe next time, dude."

"Yeah, definitely." I waved as they walked off, frowning when they were gone. I lied a lot to these guys... but at least I didn't blow off Ethan and Chloe.

Speaking of, I need to find a way to get this to Ethan that wasn't suspicious... Maybe I could get it into his bag when we went out for pizza. On that note, I needed to meet up with them.

Right after leaving the cafeteria, I spotted a girl fighting a soda machine. I could have sworn I saw her before... I decided to just leave her alone. I couldn't leave Chloe and Ethan waiting.


End file.
